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Home , Adelaide di Borgogna, Adina (opera), Aria, Aria di sorbetto, Basso profondo, Bass (voice type)

Overview

1. The PthPath to BlBel CtCanto The Journey to Reims

2. Mid‐Century

3. Toward the End of an Era SESSION 1 – ThePathtoThe Path to

A Quick Look: Oppyera history before the 19th century  Early  High Baroque  Reform/Classical

Rossini & the Bel Canto Style

Fach   Rossini  Basso cantante / basso buffo

Producing Bel Canto Florentine Camerata (1570’s‐80’s)

Vincenzo Galilei (mathematician, musician) Count Giovanni de’ Bardi (host) (musician) Pietro Strozzi (military leader) Ottavio Rinuccini (poet) (historian)

Theory precedes practice. Words must be understood; polyphony obscures text. should reflect of words rather than dance. The Birth of : 400 Years Ago

Jacopo Peri & Ottavio Rinuccini (~1594)

Jacopo Peri & Ottavio Rinuccini Giulio Caccini & Ottavio Rinuccini (1600) Discussing Style: Our Vocabulary

Melody the “tune”

Harmony chords, combinations of notes

Rhythm arrangement of sound in time

Texture colors of sound; orchestration

Amplitude loudness, volume

Text words, lyrics

Form structure, architecture Early Baroque Baroque: (Portuguese) “mis‐shapen pearl” in service of text

Harmony spare, slow-moving

Rhy thm tttext-didriven

Texture strings, keyboards, token winds; fluid

Amplitude relatively small range

Text of supreme importance device: word painting

Form through-composed Monteverdi (1567‐1643)

HdlHandel (1685‐1759) The Pendulum Swings…

From To Simplicity Complexity Clar ity PiPassion Balance Vocal Fireworks

Florentine Camerata High Baroque 1590’s ~1650‐1750 Early Baroque High Baroque (Monteverdi) (Handel) in service of text Melody coloratura, fioratura, , ornaments spare, slow-moving Harmony some counterpoint rhythm of speech Rhythm increasingly complex strings, keyboards Texture more winds: token winds , , relatively small range Amplitude terraced dynamics

of supreme importance Text secondary in importance mythology & history Subject mythology & history

through-composed Form rigid “number” operas : ABA form Baroque : A Rigid Recipe Stri ct si nger hi erarc hy (pr ima donna… assoltluta…e sol!)la!) Each main performer must have one aria in each act Lesser artists:

No performer may have two in succession

No aria may be followed by another of the same type

Prima donnas traveled with an Aria di baule (luggage) Happy endin g re quired: Deus ex machina The Pendulum Swings… From To Simplicity Complexity Clarity Passion Balance Vocal Fireworks Florentine Camerata High Baroque 1590’s ~1650‐1750

Reform/Classicism Orgg(anic structure (form ≠ formula) ~1750‐1800 Fluid range of emotion Focus on human drama Balance between , text, Mozart (1756‐1791) High Baroque Classical coltloratura, fiora tura, MldMelody stitrippe d of excesses melismas, ornaments some counterpoint Harmony clear foundation increasingly complex Rhythm more aligned vertically more winds: Texture , horns (dbl winds) flute, oboe, trumpet balance melody, text, orch terraced dynamics Amplitude growth in orchestration secondary in importance Text organic, serving the drama restored to importance mythology & history Subject “regular people” rigid “number” operas Form as introduction : ABA form many more ensembles Bel Canto*= Beautiful Singing ROSSINI BELLINI DONIZETTI 1792‐1868 1801‐1835 1797‐1848

“Bellini is the red wine, Donizetti is the white wine, and Rossini is the champagne!” (Edita Gruberova) (*Term not used until about 1880; reaction to Wagner?)

Il barbiere di Siviglia Gioacc hino Rossini (1792‐1868) Dominated opera in first half of 19th century Wrote 40 operas in just under two decades Retired from opera at 37 Mosè in Egitto La cambiale di matrimonio L'equivoco stravagante L'inganno felice di seta e Falliero L'occasione fa il ladro Maometto secondo Matilde Shabran TdiTancredi ZlZelm ira L'italiana in Algeri Le Siègede Corinthe Moïse et Pharaon Elisabetta d'Inghilterra Guillaume Tell D.H. Lawrence Berlioz “I love “Rossini’ s melodic –it’s so reckless. cynicism, his contempt Damn Wagner, and for dramatic expression his bellowing at Fate and good sense, his and death… I like endless repetition of a the Italians who run single form of cadence, all on impulse and his eternal puerile don’t care about crescendo and brutal their immortal souls drum, exasperated and don’t worry me to such a point that about the ultimate.” I was blind to the brilliant qualities of his genius, even in his masterpiece, .” Classical Bel Canto stripped of excesses Melody coloratura, fioratura proscribed ornamentation clear foundation Harmony straightforward, diatonic vertically aligned Rhythm increased use of rubato clarinet, horns (dbl winds) Texture secondary to vocal display, balance melody, text, orch except in patter! growth in orchestration Amplitude “Rossini crescendo” organic, serving the drama Text more formulaic restored to importance “regular people” Subject undemanding plot lines overture as introduction Form many more ensembles Aria/Tempo di mezzo/ 19th-century Opera Building Blocks

Recitative = Dialogue Secco Accompagnato

Aria = Monologue Aria (Cav atin a) – Teepodempo di mezz o – Cabal etta

Ensembles = Simultaneous Conversations Monologues, dialogues, internal monologues Opera Buffa: The Lighter Side of Bel Canto

Developed from 18th century intermezzi Derived from commedia dell’arte theatrical tradition Components • Farcical story • Quick • Patter •Higher proportion of ensembles • Happy ending

Categorization system for opera singers German = “subject”

Caveats… Some singers defy categorization. SlbSome roles can be sung biiby voices in more than one category (Zwischenfach). Fach is affected by size of venue, taste of , composition of cast. Dangerous when taken to extreme! FACH: Determining Factors The Highs and the Lows Range singable notes common range strongest area PiPassaggio regis ter transiti on (“b reak”) Loudness and Projection color Weight loudness, thickness Fluidity Agility coloratura Flexibilit y varitiety in dynam ic and color TYPICAL VOCAL RANGES Fach Overview – Soprano Until the late 18th century, all female singers were .) (French soubrette = shrewd) Bell-like silvery quality; “ina/etta” maids, servants Susanna, Despina, Zerlina, Adina, Norina, Marzelline, Adele, Nannetta, Sophie

Coloratura (Koloratur: add to an idea using main thought as point of departure) Great agility , decorative (Subtypes: lyric coloratura, dramatic coloratura) Lucia, Queen, Gilda, Zerbinetta, Fiordiligi, Konstanze, , Juliette

Lyric (“of a lyre”) Communicate beauty, romance , pathos (JB Steane: “the world’s girlfriend”) Mimi, Violetta , Marguerite, Micaëla, Liù, Countess, Marschallin, Lauretta

Spinto (spingere: to push) / Lyric Dramatic Tonal beauty of the lyric and power of the dramatic Butterfly, , , Leonoras, Lady , Sieglinde, Ariadne Dramatic (“horn -and-helmet” ) Cut thru large orchestra; warm and metallic; powerful; flexibility compromised , , Brünnhilde, Isolde, Marie, Rossini Soprano: Coloratura Koloratur (German): adding to an idea using the main thought as point of departure

Characteristics: Great agility Decorative potential

Subtypes Lyric coloratura Dramatic coloratura

Examples: Lucia, Queen, Gilda, Zerbinetta, Manon FACH Overview – Tenor (From tenere (to hold): the important line in polyphonic music) / Leggiero Flexible, tessitura high (Ottavio, Nemorino, Des Grieux)

Coloratura Agility, extremely high range; bel canto specialist (Almaviva, Ernesto, Arturo)

Comic (Spieltenor) Character type (Beppe, Goro, Pedrillo, Tanzmeister, Monostatos)

Lyric Beauty of tone; “” to project over large orchestra (Lensky, , Rodolfo) (Before1830’s, no full voice above )

Lirico- to Tenore Robusto Heroic; stamina and volume (Cavaradossi, José, Otello, Radames, Calaf)

Heldentenor / Tenore di forza Baritonal hue; powerful midvoice (Florestan, , Siegmund, Tannhäuser) RiiTCltRossini Tenor: Coloratura

Characteristics: Great agility Decorative potential VhihVery high range

Examples: Almaviva, Ernesto, Arturo Fach Overview – Bass Distinctions between lower voices began in second half of the 19th century

Bass- Baritone w/bottom extension , bass w/top extension , Figaro Basso cantante Lyrical (“singing ” ) bass voice, typically not particularly large Handel low roles Basso buffo (Spielbass) Comic bass Osmin, Leporello, Basilio, Bartolo, Ochs Lyric bass / Basso More heft than basso cantante, sliggyhtly lower tessitura Dapertutto, Escamillo, Sarastro, Ferrando Dramatic bass / King Philippg, Wagner roles RiiBRossini Basses

Basso cantante Lyrical (“singing”) bass voice, typically not particularly large RiiBRossini Basses

Basso buffo ( Spielbass) Osmin, Leporello, Basilio, Bartolo, Ochs Session 1: Viaggio Excerpts Venue: Vienna 1998 Conductor: Production by

Cast: Corinna La Marchesa Melibea Lucia Valentini‐Terrani La Contessa di Folleville Madama Cortese Montserrat Caballe Il Cavaliere Belfiore Il Conte di Libenskof Lord Sidney Don PPfrofond o Ruggero RiRaimon di Il Barone di Trombonok Don Alvaro Carlos Chausson Don Prudenzio Giorgio Surjan